System for controlling water used for industrial food processing

Abstract

A sensor control system of a food processing system includes a logic processor operatively coupled to an electrode. The logic processor is configured to receive a sensor signal from the electrode, the electrode configured to collect the sensor signal from water used within the food processing system, process the sensor signal to determine a chemical measurement of the water, and generate an electrochemical cleaning control signal for the electrode to interact with the water to electrochemically clean the electrode based upon a user input signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor control system of a food processing system, comprising:
 a logic processor operatively coupled to an electrode, the logic processor being configured to:
 receive a sensor signal from the electrode, the electrode being configured to generate the sensor signal based on a chemical parameter of water used within the food processing system; and 
 generate an electrochemical cleaning control signal for the electrode to interact with the water to electrochemically clean the electrode based upon a user input signal. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The sensor control system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode comprises a chlorine electrode such that the logic processor is configured to determine an amount of chlorine in the water. 
     
     
       3. The sensor control system of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional logic processor operatively coupled to the electrode, the additional logic processor being configured to generate, based on the sensor signal, a control signal to control adding a wash solution to the water used in the food processing system. 
     
     
       4. The sensor control system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic processor is configured to receive the user input signal through a human machine interface (HMI) configured to display information from the logic processor. 
     
     
       5. A method of controlling water used within a food processing system, comprising:
 collecting a sensor signal from an electrode that contacts the water used within the food processing system; and 
 generating a sensor cleaning control signal causing electrochemical cleaning of the electrode based upon a user input signal. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor cleaning control signal causes the electrochemical cleaning by causing at least one of:
 reversing a polarity of the electrode; or 
 changing a potential applied to the electrode. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising sending the sensor cleaning control signal to a fouling control device operably coupled to the electrode. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising processing the sensor signal to determine a chemical measurement of the water, wherein the electrode comprises a chlorine electrode and wherein the chemical measurement comprises an amount of chlorine in the water. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 processing the sensor signal to determine a chemical measurement of the water; and 
 adding a wash solution to the water based upon the chemical measurement of the water. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the adding the wash solution to the water comprises:
 generating a control signal based upon the chemical measurement of the water; and 
 pumping the wash solution at a rate based upon the control signal. 
 
     
     
       11. A control system for a food processing system, comprising:
 a sensor configured to generate a sensor signal from water used within the food processing system; 
 a fouling control device configured to clean the sensor; and 
 a logic processor operatively coupled to the sensor and to the fouling control device, the logic processor being configured to receive the sensor signal from the sensor, process the sensor signal to determine a chemical measurement of the water, and generate a sensor cleaning control signal causing the fouling control device to clean the sensor. 
 
     
     
       12. The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising a human machine interface (HMI) configured to display information from the logic processor. 
     
     
       13. The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the fouling control device comprises a set of cascaded filters coupled between the food processing system and the sensor, and wherein the set of cascaded filters comprises a first tangential flow filter connected with a second tangential flow filter. 
     
     
       14. The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising an additional logic processor operatively coupled to the sensor, the additional logic processor being configured to generate, based on the sensor signal, a control signal to control adding a wash solution to the water used in the food processing system. 
     
     
       15. The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the fouling control device comprises an air blast device configured to deliver a burst of air to the sensor to dislodge adhering material on the sensor. 
     
     
       16. The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the fouling control device comprises a fluid receptacle that is configured to contain a cleaning solution, and wherein the cleaning solution comprises from 2% to 50% by weight peroxy acetic acid. 
     
     
       17. The control system of  claim 16 , further comprising a calibration solution device configured to deliver a calibration solution to the sensor. 
     
     
       18. The control system of  claim 17 , further comprising a multi-way valve configured to selectively provide to the sensor the cleaning solution, the calibration solution, or the water used in the food processing system. 
     
     
       19. The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a pH electrode or a chlorine electrode. 
     
     
       20. The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a chlorine electrode, the chemical measurement comprises an amount of chlorine in the water, and the fouling control device is part of an electrochemical cleaning device. 
     
     
       21. The control system of  claim 20 , wherein the electrochemical cleaning device comprises the logic processor and the chlorine electrode such that the logic processor is configured to generate the sensor cleaning control signal for the chlorine electrode to interact with the water to electrochemically clean the chlorine electrode based upon a user input signal. 
     
     
       22. The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising a pump that is configured to pump a wash solution into the water in the food processing system based on the sensor signal. 
     
     
       23. The sensor control system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic processor is further configured to generate, based on the sensor signal, a control signal to control adding a wash solution to the water used in the food processing system. 
     
     
       24. The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the logic processor is further configured to generate, based on the sensor signal, a control signal to control adding a wash solution to the water used in the food processing system.